Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard out of women's Olympic competition early after failing at all three lift attempts

Laurel Hubbard — a biological male who identifies as female and was cleared to compete against women weightlifters at the Tokyo Olympics — exited early from competition at the Games.

What are the details?

Hubbard of New Zealand failed on all three lifts in the snatch portion of the women's +87kg competition Monday and recorded a "did not finish," ESPN reported.

Yahoo Sports said Hubbard was the only finalist to not complete at least one lift; ESPN added that among Hubbard's group, Hubbard was the only competitor to not advance to the Clean & Jerk portion of the evening.

Hubbard, 43, was the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympic Games.

What did Hubbard say afterward?

"Thank you so very much for your interest in my humble sporting performance tonight," Hubbard said to the media, according to Yahoo Sports. "I know from a sporting perspective I did not live up to the standards I put upon myself."

Hubbard added, "I know my participation in these games has not been entirely without controversy," before praising the International Olympic Committee, the outlet noted.

"[The IOC has] been extraordinarily supportive, and I think that they have reaffirmed the principles of the Olympics that sport is something that all people around the world can do, that it is inclusive and successful," Hubbard added, according to Yahoo Sports.

The outlet noted that Hubbard took no questions from reporters.

But according to the PA Media organization, journalists attending the Tokyo International Forum for the event "were handed a 20-page guidebook prepared by three LGBT activist groups with the approval of the International Weightlifting Federation."

PA Media said the guidelines urged reporters to ignore "misinformation" that transgender athletes have an "unfair advantage" and told journalists to "familiarize yourselves with ... anti-LGBTQ groups and their campaigns targeting transgender access to sports."

Anything else?

Hubbard has been competing against women for several years — and that has angered women's rights groups that say Hubbard's presence represents unfair competition. Yahoo Sports reported that the IOC said it will unveil a new framework on the issue soon and that its present policy allowing the likes of Hubbard to compete is "outdated."

"What's really important to remember is that trans women are women," Richard Budgett, director of the IOC's medical and scientific department, told Yahoo Sports. "And so, in the spirit of inclusion in sport, if at all possible, they should be included in sport. It's only where there's evidence of real concern — that that would lead to a disproportionate performance advantage for those individuals — should any rules and regulations come in to change that eligibility. The IOC is determined to increase inclusion in sport as one of the fundamentals, but at the same time our highest, highest priority is fairness."

Transgender athlete Laurel Hubbard out of Olympics - BBC Newsyoutu.be